MALIBU—On Tuesday, August 6, the city of Malibu announced on its Facebook page that residents should be aware of Black Bears.
A bear was recently captured on a home security camera video in the Malibu Knolls neighborhood. Black Bears live in the region, and are very rarely been seen in the Santa Monica Mountains, and are not believed to have a breeding population there, according to the National Park Service.
The community is reminded that Black Bears are a crucial part of the ecosystem, together with bobcats, coyotes, hawks and other predators.
They are solitary and avoid humans, and attacks on humans are extremely rare. Bears are omnivores, and will eat whatever is available, primarily fruits, nuts, roots, grubs and insects. They will also eat small animals and even deer, if they can catch them, as well as garbage, pet food, and dead animals.
Pet owners in Malibu are asked to take precautions to keep their pets safe. Always walk dogs on leash. Keep pets and pet food indoors at night, and properly secure trash containers. Do not approach or harass bears.
Anyone who sees a bear is warned to:
- Keep a safe distance and slowly back away. Let the bear know you are there. Make yourself look bigger by lifting and waving your arms and making noise by yelling, clapping your hands, using noisemakers, or whistling.
- Do not run and do not make eye contact. Let the bear leave the area on its own.
- If a bear makes contact, fight back.
Individuals should report bear encounters in the Santa Monica Mountains by calling the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at 916-445-0045 or the National Park Service at 415-464-5170, or report it to a Ranger at a Visitor Center as soon as possible.
By Trevor